Mat Ryan and Rangers: not a good fit
Columnist By Luke Doherty, 7 Jan 2013 Luke Doherty is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- A-League, Mat Ryan, Rangers, Rugby Union, Scottish Premier League
The home of Rangers: Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow (AP Photo/ Danny Lawson/PA)
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Mat Ryan has made the wrong move.
Today, the Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper is on a plane to the UK where he’ll link up with fallen Scottish giants Rangers for a 10-day training spell.
It can’t be called a 10-day trial because of the small matter of a 12-month transfer ban being slapped on Rangers for going into liquidation.
Because of that they can’t sign any players, even free agents, until September 1, 2013.
After his “training” is complete he’ll return to Australia and play out the rest of the season with the Mariners.
Lawrie McKinna, the club’s former manager and current General Manager of Football (and newly-elected Gosford councillor), helped line-up the arrangement after speaking to Rangers manager Ally McCoist over the Christmas period.
The problem isn’t just that Rangers now play in the fourth tier of Scottish football, but also the fact Ryan will miss Saturday’s clash with the Melbourne Victory in Launceston.
Ryan is hungry for a move overseas. That’s completely understandable.
The shot-stopper is incredibly talented and has already attracted interest from Tottenham, West Bromwich Albion and Championship side Hull City.
Ambition is fine and he’s hardly the first young Australian player to look longingly at the bright lights of European football.
But there’s opportunities and then there’s good opportunities.
Former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, now a pundit with Fox Sports, said last night that the Scottish Premier League isn’t as good as the A-League.
So, what does that make the fourth tier?
Yes, it’s Rangers. Yes, they have 54 league titles and 33 Scottish Cups, but you have to question if this version of the famous club is the right fit for one of Australia’s best talents.
If it’s just a 10-day training spell then it’s a waste of time.
He’d be better off playing in the A-League against the Victory.
It doesn’t send a great message when a player is willing to abandon ship so quickly during the middle of what is shaping up as an intriguing title fight.
If it’s a 10-day training spell that will see Ryan eventually sign with the club then it’s a poorly timed adventure.
It will be at least the 2015/16 season before Rangers are back in the Scottish Premier League.
Ryan is good enough to play in Europe, but he’s also better than what Rangers are currently able to offer.
You can follow Luke Doherty on Twitter @Luke_Doherty and on Sky News Australia.
The Crowd Says (27) | Page 1 of Comments
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- A-League, Mat Ryan, Rangers, Rugby Union, Scottish Premier League
January 7th 2013 @ 8:29am
pete4 said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Yes this is a crazy move if it happens and it’s unbelievable the player has agreed to this. Reports indicate Rangers are offering only $230K transfer fee to CCM too
January 7th 2013 @ 8:46am
Adrian said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:46am | Report comment
He wants to play at one of the biggest cubs in Europe in front of 50000 fans ever other week and be part of Rangers history. I hope he is good enough for Scotland, Matt McKay wasn’t.
January 7th 2013 @ 11:12am
peeeko said | January 7th 2013 @ 11:12am | Report comment
must be a strange experience playing in front of 50k one week then 3000 the next
January 7th 2013 @ 12:22pm
Brick Tamlin of the Pants Party said | January 7th 2013 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
I hope he knows how to keep warm he won’t be doing alot.
January 7th 2013 @ 1:21pm
AVictory said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
As long as he doesn’t give the coaching staff training tips, Ryan won’t end up like Mckay
January 7th 2013 @ 8:54am
cliffclavin said | January 7th 2013 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Agree, it is a silly move. If they were in the scottish top flight, then yes, a good introduction to Europe. Lets hope the Bozz gets in his ear and warns against it.
but if it is just a trial – then it may well be another good taster for him – in terms of what is required at a big club – which may serve him well when he does go to Europe (but hopefully not scotland). But lets hope he stays a little longer – he has been a little shakier this season than usual (which sounds odd when the kid is 20!!) but some more time playing here will be good for him.
What happened to the Hull move??
January 7th 2013 @ 9:06am
jamesb said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Apparently Ryan was going to go to Championship side Derby, that stalled, so Rangers was his Plan B. What a terrible Plan B it is.
Also it looks like his team mate Rogic might stay with the Mariners after been concerned about Readings development of young players.
And also “English side only willing to pay a certain amount upfront despite having agreed an in-principle figure overall.”
January 7th 2013 @ 9:15am
Adrian said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:15am | Report comment
I wouldn’t be surprised if Rangers sign McGowan in September aswell. Follow follow
January 7th 2013 @ 9:09am
Tristan Rayner said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:09am | Report comment
Update – The ‘training’ move has been postponed indefinitely following an ‘injury’:
“Ryan’s Rangers training period postponed
CENTRAL Coast Mariners custodian Mathew Ryan’s planned training period with Rangers Football Club, announced yesterday, has been indefinitely postponed after the gifted gloveman sustained a knock to his shoulder in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
While the injury is minor, both Clubs have agreed that it is in Ryan’s best interests to remain in Australia under the care of the Mariners’ medical department for the foreseeable future.
It is envisaged that he will be available for selection for Saturday’s Hyundai A-League round 16 fixture against Melbourne Victory in Launceston.
Central Coast Mariners FC will advise members, fans and media of any future developments in regards to this matter.”
January 7th 2013 @ 9:25am
Mals said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Cheers Tristan, that is a good development!
January 7th 2013 @ 9:36am
Lu said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Nice face saving announcement for Ryan.. I think common sense prevailed.
January 7th 2013 @ 9:23am
CmonJETS said | January 7th 2013 @ 9:23am | Report comment
Happy for Ryan to find a suitable ‘out’ from the silly situation….
January 7th 2013 @ 11:27am
Luke Doherty said | January 7th 2013 @ 11:27am | Report comment
Like I said, right club wrong time. Common sense has prevailed.
January 7th 2013 @ 12:07pm
apaway said | January 7th 2013 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Maybe the “shoulder injury” was a result of Mark Bosnich giving Ryan a dead-arm punch and saying, “What are you thinking?”
That said, why does Ryan need to go for a 10-day trial to ANY European club? What can a club learn in 10 days that they could not pick up from watching video, talking to the guy via skype or on the phone, and perhaps sounding out some of his coaches? It’s not like they are in a position to sign Ryan straight away. Forget the fact that it is Rangers and they are playing in the 4th tier in Scotland for a moment. It just smacks of a monumental waste of time and money to fly a guy halfway round the world for less than a fortnight
January 7th 2013 @ 1:31pm
langou said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
Excuse my ignorance on this topic but how do Rangers build a squad if they can’t sign any players?
January 7th 2013 @ 1:38pm
Nathan of Perth said | January 7th 2013 @ 1:38pm | Report comment
Apparently Rangers have some form of appeal in the offing that would return them to the SPL next year – the deal would be contingent on that.
January 7th 2013 @ 2:36pm
Matt F said | January 7th 2013 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
I think their squad consists of players who were already contracted to the club, though obviously some have moved on. They have probably promoted some academy players as well
January 8th 2013 @ 1:58am
Broxi said | January 8th 2013 @ 1:58am | Report comment
As a Rangers fan, I was quite looking forward to his trial and hopefully signing in Sept as i have heard very promising things about him however that looks unlikely now. Yes while he could go to a Championship side and prob sit on the bench or he could go to Rangers playing infront of 50,000 fans every home game. I believe Rangers have broken 3 records this season in terms of attendences and journaliss from all over the world are traveling to Ibrox as they have never seen the likes of it in their lives.
On Rangers signing players, our squad consists of very promising young players from the youth ranks, players who transferred their contracts and players who were signed before the transfer ban started. Rangers were done by Craig Whyte deciding not to pay tax and using “illegal EBTs” however a high court has ruled that these EBTs were never illegal in the first place.
P.s I think Bosnich has to remember that he mainly played for Aston Villa, who are they again?…
January 7th 2013 @ 5:59pm
Adrian said | January 7th 2013 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
Mark Bosnich is 100% right…this is just crazy
“As for biggest cubs in Europe in front of 50000 fans ever other week”, this club is broke, it is broke because SPL tv deal is less then A-League TV deal , it went broke because it plays teams like Ross County F.C. ever 2nd week …
SPL Average attendance 2012-13 so far is 9,819
Matt McKay , didn’t do much wrong in the little time he played ..but you had a team under pressure ,and it’s safe for a Scottish coach to play the same Scottish players , lucky for matt he got out
January 7th 2013 @ 7:11pm
j binnie said | January 7th 2013 @ 7:11pm | Report comment
Adrian – This team went broke for one reason and one reason only, bad management,not at the football managers level but at the real decision making level.
Let me tell you another story with the opposite effect.Celtic were within 8 hours of being declared bankrupt. They owed their bank GBP 8 million and could not pay.
Along came a Canadian self-made millionaire who guaranteed their debt and proceeded ,with the help of some other wealthy friends,to not only build a brand new 60,000 stadium,but to re-vamp the management and ownership structure so that the loyal fans would be given a chance to own part of this great club.When he commenced all this action he promised he would only stay at the club for 5 years and his plan had to be completed by that time.After 5 years he left and it is rumoured he sold his shareholding in Celtic for $125 millions.Not a bad profit for an GBP[ 8 million guarantee would you say.????? jb